old bachmann and tyco locomotives slipping and not pulling and walthers train line parts

[tombbbb]

Good morning,
I have some old tyco and bachmann locomotives, which all seem to be giving me trouble at the same time. No matter what I do, they do not pull even a small number of cars. I can't figure out why, but even when I install or remove traction tires, or bullfrog snot, they continue to do the same thing. They are the older ones (80s-90s?) with rear wheel drive. I know they're old, with the pancake style motors, maybe it's their weight? I've checked my tracks many many times. My atlas engines pull large strings very nicely, but like I said, I can't get these to pull hardly anything, so I don't think it's the tracks. Right now they're in a box for my grandson to take apart and enjoy that way. Maybe that's the best thing to do with them.
Hopefully, someone can help me out with this.

Additionally, can someone recommend a good source for Walthers train line locomotive parts?
Thanks,
Tom

 

[RhB Michael]

Do these problem locomotives use traction tires from the factory, or is this something you tried to see if it would help?

You might have cracked gears on the axles which might run fine by themselves, but the gears slip badly on the axles under any sort of load. Weight might be another factor you have mentioned. If they are too light, they won't pull much.

 

[santafewillie]

Additionally, can someone recommend a good source for Walthers train line locomotive parts?

Walther's Customer Service at 1-800-487-2467

 

[AstroKnight]

@RhB Michael mentioned Cracked gears/axles. That is a common problem with older locomotives; Some Tyco locos (Ex: Super C630) have a lot of manufacturer sold replacement parts as well as 3rd party parts. You may be able to find plenty of replacement parts as well as add-on upgrade parts (such as a new motor, or detail parts)

A suggestion I have is check the wheels on your cars. Assuming you are running cars made around the same time, they could have plastic wheels which don't roll very freely. My modern Athearn Genesis GP9 nearly overheated once because it was pulling these older, not-very-free-rolling cars. Find the right size of wheels for your cars (33", 36", etc.) and try Walthers Proto wheels.

If you're running modern and/or updated cars, it could be because of grades or tight turns. Some cars don't run very well on 18" radius curves because the trucks can't turn enough to go around the turns, so they rub against the frame or other parts, causing friction to slow the train down.

Hope this helps!

P.S. The Walthers website is very helpful. If you can find the replacement parts' ID, then you should be able to put that in the search bar on their website and it'll take you to it (If they have it) Walthers' website is here: https://www.walthers.com/

Edit: This sounds like a job for the 33%ers!

 

[J.Albert]

Speaking only for myself...
... in that one needs to realize that these older, pancake-motored, one-truck powered locomotives just aren't going to run as well as newer stuff.

They're "inadequate by design".
That doesn't mean they won't run.
But again, don't expect performance equivalent to more modern products.

Sometimes, it doesn't have to even BE "modern".
I'm thinking of the early Proto2000 and Proto1000 engines that began hitting the market around 1995 (or thereabouts).

They were well-designed and still run fine today (in some cases it will be necessary to replace the axle gears on the wheelsets, which cracked). And most of them looked good back then and still hold their own today.

Even not-too-old Bachmann engines can do fairly well. A friend gave me a Bachmann GP40 that he said wouldn't run right. When I first tried it on DC, it didn't, so I put it away in its box for a while, didn't seem I would be able to improve it. It had one of those "top-bottom" split frames and no flywheels at all. However...

Eventually I broke it down into pieces, and carefully put it back together with a few changes (replaced old light board with an old dcc decoder, replaced lights). Amazingly, it now runs silently and very smooth. Better than I could have ever expected.

But again, it wasn't one of the "pancake/one truck drive" engines.

What Walthers parts do you need?

 

[trailrider]

When you say they won't pull more than a few cars, what happens? Do the powered wheels slip? Have you checked the full stall amperage of the motor? Does the motor feel warm at maximum pull? When you say, "rear wheel drive" I presume you mean a model of a diesel locomotive. If the body is something you'd like to keep, it might be worth it to try to find some mechanism on ebay to mount the body on. Some of the old Athearn blue box diesels pull almost a full amp at stall, and if you are going DCC, you would definitely want to replace those pancake motors. Just some thoughts...

 

[Iron Horseman]

I have some old tyco and bachmann locomotives, which all seem to be giving me trouble at the same time. No matter what I do, they do not pull even a small number of cars. I can't figure out why, but even when I install or remove traction tires, or bullfrog snot, they continue to do the same thing.

Are the traction tires fresh and smooshy or are the dried out? When you use bullfrog snot are the traction tires still on it, or are you putting it into the grove where the traction tires are supposed to be.

My guess is the powered truck is bucking. That is it gets more traction on the rear axle which pushes, and tips the front axle up off the track. With the front wheels off the track it slips and loses traction. Make certain all 4 wheels have the same amount of traction, and then if this is the situation, more weight would help.

My atlas engines pull large strings very nicely, but like I said, I can't get these to pull hardly anything.

Well comparing them to the old Atlas isn't really fair. Back then the Tyco/Bachmann were 1/4th the price of an Atlas. Sort of like comparing a Yugo car to a Chevy.

so I don't think it's the tracks.

I agree does not sound like a track issue. That would be more power dying sort of thing.


Someone else was talking about cracked axles, and you probably already know these pancake motors don't have that sort of axle. If it was a gear problem you would be hearing lots of grinding, so I don't think it is that either.

 

[tombbbb]

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions! I have a lot to try , now.
Thanks,
Tom

 

[Bigboy57]

First determine if the drive wheels are losing traction (spinning out) or if the drive wheels are not turning. If the latter, I had an old Rivarossi where the main drive gear was spinning on the shaft. After disassembly, I used a file to rough up the shaft surface and glued the gear with some ca in the appropriate position. Problem solved for the last nine years. Just a thought.

 

[tombbbb]

Thank you-that's something I've looked at. When these locomotives are pulling nothing, they go like champs-when theres a load, they sit there with the wheels spinning on the rails.
Thanks,
Tom

 

[trailrider]

Sounds like too much torque and/or not enough weight on the wheels. Try adding some weight, even if temporarily (fishing lures, bullets, etc.) and see if that improves the pulling power. It may be a matter of the gear ratios and the torque of the motor.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Thank you-that's something I've looked at. When these locomotives are pulling nothing, they go like champs-when theres a load, they sit there with the wheels spinning on the rails.

That sounds to me like they are missing a weight or both. Does your's have these?

 

[Ericsauto]

I am going to suggest going to YouTube and watching this young man from Canada. He is darn good at fixing old locos. Just search for the type you are having issues with in his channel, and you will probably find something similar. I'm pretty good at fixing things, and his videos have taught me some tricks.

https://www.youtube.com/@SMTMainline